Eddie would go

It looks like 90+% certain that 'the Eddie' http://http//live.quiksilver.com/2009/eddie will happen this week, monday, tuesday, wednesday.

The Eddie is the annual Big Wave surf contest on the North shore of Oahu, at Waimea bay, in celebration of the life of Eddie Aikau.
The contest doesn't have a set date, just a 'somewhere between day (a) and day (b)' as the conditions are what controls the running of the contest. Here in E'bo, if it gets a little bit blowy and choppy on the beach, out comes the red flags so the wusses don't have to stop sunbathing and do some work - On the North Shore, there are just advisories not to go into the heavy surf. http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/waimea-bay-hawaii_4755/ as well as looking at the large live surf at waimea, look at the other beaches and there are some videos on the right side of the page, including an Eddie one. Eddie was one of the first lifeguards to work Waimea, and died trying to help the others on the Polynesian sailing vessel Hokule'a survive.
The Eddie only happens if the surf is 20ft+ as they measure in Hawai'i, which is kinda 25ft+ anywhere else (measured from a different place). Contestants are invited, and for many of them, an invite to 'the Eddie' is Willy Wonkas Golden Ticket - even regulars like Kelly Slater put all else aside for the event.
Read the book 'Eddie would go', watch the videos on the Quiksilver link, and maybe have a think about folk who risk themselves to keep others alive -
Mahalo